Method of removing sediment from the tanks of oil-burning ships and tankers



S. GUARDINO METHOD OF REMOVING SEDIMENT FROM THE TANKS OF OIL BURNING SHIPS AND BANKERS July 23, 1929.

I Filed Oct. 18. 1927 Patented July 23, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN GUARDINO, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

METHOD OF REMOVING SEDIMENT FROM THE TANKS OF OIL-BURNING SHIPS AND TANKERS.

Application filed October 18, 1927. Serial No. 227,041.

This invention relates to an improved method of removing the sediment or residue from tanks or the bottom compartments of ships using oil as fuel, and also out of tankers.

The object of the invent on 1s to provide an-improved process, whereln the sediment to be removed is first liquefied and then pumped by a special pump or the regular pumps of the ship, to a point exteriorly of the ship,

where the sediment may be recovered as a byproduct.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved process, wherein the sediment or deposits in oil carrying tanks or com- ]5 partments may be quickly removed through the use of a solvent in the presence of heat, and then through the use of a pump for pumping to a desired point the liquefied sludge or deposits.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a ship using oil as a fuel, with means whereby the process embodying the lnventlon may be carried out. I

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view through Figure 1 on line 2-2, the same being on an enlarged scale and show ng a float and certain other parts in connection therewith. Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating a sleeve and oil carrying pipe.

Referring to the accompanying drawlng by numerals, 1 indicates the ship as a whole. The ship may be of any desired kind, and may carry the fuel oil in any desired way, as for instance, in tanks or in compartments similar to compartments 2 and 3. The compartments 2 and 3 are shown at the rear of the stern of the ship and other compartments are distributed along the sides and front of the ship. Extending to the various compartments are suitable oil distributing and pumping pipes 4 which may extend to a header 5 and from thence be pumped to the burners 6. When taking in oil, the same. may be discharged into the various compartments in any desired manner, and the oil may be removed from the compartments as just described, or in some other manner, as the particular construction of the ship forms no part of the present invention.

The ship 1, in addition to the parts just described, is provided with a sounding tube or pipe 7 for each of the compartments, said of'each of the pipes 4 are connected to what may be termed a feed pipe 11 (Figure 3), which extends to a point near the bottom of the compartment.

When the method embodying the invention is being used, a sleeve 12 is temporarily placed on the bottom of each of the feed pipes 11 whereby the suction may be from a point very near the bottom of the compartments. In tankers, there are provided pipes for removing the oil, which extend down to near the bottom of the tank and these are used in the method embodyin the invention. The various constructions a ove described are old and well known, and other devices are also used for assisting or for accomplishing the same result. The only change to be madeis the addition of a sleeve 12, which if desired, may be omitted, though it is very desirable in that it permits substantially all of the matter to be pumped from the various containers or compartments.

In carrying out the invention, an improved method is provided, whereby the sediment is liquefied and then removed. In oil burning ships, tankers and the like, the bottom of the ship, containers or other articles, are provided with crude oil or a low grade oil, and from these compartments, containers or the like, the oil is pumped to the burners of a ship and used as needed. As indicated in Figure 3, the oil 13 is shown as almost filling the compartments. This oil will used until the level is aproximately at the lower various compartments or. containers is re- .moved unless already removed, and then a ner, as for instance, through the sounding.

pipes 7 After the desired supply of solvent has been discharged into the containers or compartments, live steam is turned onto the compartments. Any desired quantity of kerosene may be. used, but preferably a layer of kerosene is inserted about equal to the thickness of the layer 15, and then live steam from the respective boilers 16 and 17 is connectcd to the pipes 18 and 19. These pipes are connected through temporary connecting pipes 20. to the various sounding pipes 7, and live steam forced into the compartments for heating the same and also for agitating the liquid therein. A small amount of this steam and vapor will be permitted to escape through the various vents 9 which form part of the permanent equipment of the ship. However, the agitation of the kerosene not only cuts or dissolves the sludge or sediment 1,5, but dissolves any deposit on the sides and tops of the various compartments treated.

The live steam is maintained in the compart-.

ments for any desired length of time. Where the deposit 15 is heavy and comparatively thick, the steam is left on for a longer time than where the deposit is comparatively thin and more or less semi-liquid. For in stance, the steam' may be supplied for one hour or more up to four or five hours. If the steam Was left on longer, no harm would be done.

After the first treatment just specified has been carried out, a layer of water is supplied to each compartment. This may be done by forcing water into the compartment in any desired manner, as for instance, by using the usual ballast pump now found in all ships. Preferably, a layer of water about as thick as the combined layer 15 and kerosene, is pro-' vided. The steam is left turned on so that the water will be quickly heated by the steam and by the hot vapors of kerosene. By this time most, of the deposit 15 is dissolved, and by reason of the agitation of hot water and steam, the parts are very much emulsified and liquefied so as to readily flow and be capable of being pumped. The live steam is leftturned on or supplied from one hour to four or five hours after the water has been supplied. The use of the water assists the steam in causing substantially all of the vapors produced by the solvent to be deposited scow or float is provided with a well known oil and water separator 23 which separates to a great extent oil and water so that the water may be dischargedput through the pipe 24 into the river or other body of water, and the oil discharged into the tank 25. The term oil in this instance, means the kerosene and the dissolved deposit 15. After the kerosene or other solvent and deposit 15 has thus been recovered, it may be properly treated and the desirable parts permanently recovered and sold as kerosene, petroleum jelly and other products. Also, it may be sold as a low grade fuel oil without any additional treatment.

When removing the mixture, any suitable pumping mechanism may be used. and if desired, the regular pump 10 of the ship may be.

used by reversing the valve connections so that the mixture will be pumped from the various compartments out through pipe 26 to the separators 23 instead of to the burner 6. In carrying out the process, as much of the ships equipment as possible is used to direct the kerosene, steam and water into the compartments being treated, and also as much of the ships equipment as possible is used in removing the treated mixture and discharging the same into the separators 23. By thus treating the sediment with a solvent in the presence of heat, and also in the presence of hot Water and steam, the removal of the sediment 15 may be done very quickly and unless the sediment is very solid and in large quantities, a ship may be cleaned of this sediment in from six to fourteen hours. The live steam used is preferably sufliciently hot to turn the water into a vapor or semi-steam and to agitate the mixture as it enters under some considerable force. After the various compartments or containers have been cleaned of the deposit 15, the various sleeves 12 are removed and then a new supply of crude oil or other oil may be inserted and the ship is ready for use again.

What I claim is:

1. The method of removing deposits from oil carrying compartments, consisting in treating the deposits with a solvent and heat while the deposits are in situ, treating the solvent and deposits with water and heat and agitating the solvent and water during the entire treatment, and finally removing the mixture of water, solvent and deposit.

2. The method of removing deposit from containers and compartments, consisting in first forcing a solvent to the various compartments until a sufiicient quantity has been provided for covering the deposit for mechanically acting on and also dissolving the deposit, heating the solvent and deposit and maintaining the heat from one to six hours for expediting the action of the solvent, supplying a quantity of water under pressure-to each compartment sufiicient to cover the mixture of solvent and deposit to a thickness equal to the depth of the solvent said water in its movement agitating the loosened deposit and solvent, subjecting the water, solvent and deposit to heat from one to five hours, and then withdrawing the mixture.

3. The method of removing sediment or deposit from oil carrying compartments, consisting in subjecting the deposit to a solvent in the presence of heat until the deposit has been partly liquefied, .then agitating the deposit and solvent by the addition of hot water and steam said agitating continuing until the deposit has been completely liquefied, and finally withdrawing the mixture.

4:. The method of removing deposit from homogeneous mixture has been produced the live steam acting to agitate the mixture, and then withdrawing the mixture.

5. The method of removing deposit from oil carrying compartments, consisting in sub-' jecting the deposit to kerosene, water and live steam until the deposit has been substantially liquefied said subjecting action causing an agitation of the mixture to a certain extent mechanically removing some of the deposit, and then withdrawing the deposit and added mixture.

Signed at Brooklyn in the county of Kings and State of New York this eleventh day of October A. D. nineteen hundred and twentyseven.

STEPHEN GUARDINO. 

